Microphone question

[JoeHempel]

I'm about to drop some cash on some microphones, and need some advice.

I'm recording Classical guitar, so I need something that has a low noise floor on it, I'm recording in my house and not a studio, but the room is pretty quiet, albeit a bit large. My samson G-Track is USB, and self powered condenser, so there is alot of noise going on there.

I've got a Sure SM-57 Dynamic but no interface so it's kind of useless until I get one, which I will be.

I'm thinking about the samson C02 pencil cardioid condenser pair for $140 and a pre-amp, that way I can use both mics to record the classical.

Any thoughts?

[bfloyd6969]

Hi Joe. Also, have a look at the Behringer cond. mics. I've only used (use) their dynamic mics (which are great) but I've read that their cond. mics are extremely good too (especially for the money). They have a pretty wide family of cond. mics, and some aimed (no punn intended) at acoustic type guitars.

[JoeHempel]

I'll check them out....

Thanks again, you've been a great help in trying to find a good balance in this recording....it's a frustrating, yet interesting experience.

[Moonrider]

These work very well for me recording acoustic guitar.

Audio Technica AT2020 and AT2021

[JoeHempel]

Those look really good. I hope that Sam Ash carries these. That is what I'm looking for I think.

[bfloyd6969]

These work very well for me recording acoustic guitar.

Audio Technica AT2020 and AT2021

That looks like a nice setup, plus a free headphone gift to boot!! (and looks like some pretty nice cans)

These were the one's I was referring to, but the AT's look a bit nicer and more applicable.

http://www.behringer.com/EN/Products/C-4.aspx

[JoeHempel]

Well, I picked up a couple things today...one was an interface for $175 at Sam Ash(discontinued because they are making a 16 track one) so this price is not correct.

http://www.bizrate.com/mixers-multit...-pid606869551/

Also picked up this mic for $99 at Sam Ash, not the $199 that this site has it listed for

http://pro-audio.musiciansfriend.com...ELAID=26020449

I think I'm going to return it because it's just TOO sensitive, like picked up the downstairs noise crystal clear. I'm going to get the C02 Samson Cardiod Pair tomorrow.

http://www.samash.com/webapp/wcs/sto...ir-_-SC02XXXXX

The mixer is great and works really well, and records to the iPod just as fast. So the mixer is a keeper, as it also has some pretty good effects built in.

[Moonrider]

I think I'm going to return it because it's just TOO sensitive, like picked up the downstairs noise crystal clear. I'm going to get the C02 Samson Cardiod Pair tomorrow.

LOL - you can turn the gain down a bit, and turn noisy things off I warn the household when I'm tracking the acoustic, or vocals. The wife and kids are pretty good about keeping quiet for 15 minutes or so. I've still had to redo some vocal tracks to get rid of the hysterical laughter in the background though. A passionate vocal with no accompaniment can sound . . . unusual

[JoeHempel]

The wife and kids are pretty good about keeping quiet for 15 minutes or so.

I don't have that luxury. My son is 2 and will scream and play when he wants LOL. Plus turning the gain down anymore than I've already have I can't get a very strong signal. I'm hoping that the pencil mics will help me out on this, plus I get two of them in the pack so can use 2 mics to mic the guitar.

[bfloyd6969]

A passionate vocal with no accompaniment can sound . . . unusual

LOL, true!!

Joe, which mixer in that bunch did you get (it shows the page with a bunch of mixers on it). Also, the last two lnks didn't work for me...

[JoeHempel]

Hmmm....yeah the links are strange, that's not what I wanted to list.

Here is the link to the mixer, love it because it can record either to a computer or right to the iPod

http://alesis.com/imultimix8usb


These are the mics that I got instead of the Cardinal.....actually, I kept the Cardinal just to do a comparison, I'll return one of them when I decide which one I like better. I did a real quick test and they are sweet!!

http://www.samsontech.com/products/prod ... &brandID=2

This is the Cardinal

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000E4GFD8

[bfloyd6969]

Looks like you got some nice gear there! Congrats. I've been wondering how well the usb mixers work as I've been thinking about getting one. I'm curently using the Native Instruments Sesion I/O usb interface and it only has a XLR and line/instrument input. I would like a bit more flexability. Originally I was just going to get a standard mixer and plug that into my usb interface but then got to thinking why not just make the chain simpler and just get a usb mixer...